NEW DELHI: The national capital’s healthcare employees, especially the nursing staff, are angry over L-G VK Saxena’s fiat invoking Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (HESMA), 1974 for the employees of government-run hospitals to strike work till July this year. The order was issued on Wednesday.
In yet another move to “stifle” any protest by the nursing staff, Dr Atul Goel, Director General of health services, dismissed a representation of demands from a nursing federation. He said that he had “much more to look after” than “meddling with affairs of nursing”.
The federation has termed the remark as “unbecoming” of a nodal institution head. The L-G’s order draws its powers from the HESMA, which restricts employees serving under certain professions, to go on a strike. Doctors and nurses are among them. The violation can lead to the termination of services.
The healthcare workers believe that the attempt was to check protests planned by nursing associations over their long-pending demands. The L-G House said the order is only in continuation of similar orders imposed in view of the Covid-19 situation.
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association said the narrative of Covid-19 is merely an excuse to suppress dissent.“The government is not resolving pending issues. Instead, it’s taking away our right to protest, said Anita Panwar, president of the All India Government Nurses Federation.